If you are interested in being a Brownie Leader please call Kim
Friede at 677-2036. If you are interested in leading Fourth Grade
Junior Girl Scouts call Donna Love at 677-3767. They would be
happy to assist you get started. Remember, Girl Scouts is where
"girls grow strong!"

September 30, 1999
Seeley Swan Pathfinder
Seeley Lake, Montana

by Donna Love

1998 was another wonderful year of scouting for Seeley Lake
Girl Scouts. Four troops made up of 35 girls from first through
sixth grade took part in various activities of fun, friendship
and togetherness. The highlights of the year included decorating
the Post Office Christmas Tree, the Father/Daughter Banquet, the
Mother/Daughter Tea, Thinking Day and the Girl Scout Birthday
Party, which celebrated 87 years of Girl Scouts.

Last year was especially challenging because the Girl Scouts
lost their Service Unit Leader, Shauna Anders. She was an important
part of Girl Scouting in the community and gave so much of her
time and herself to making the Scouting program in Seeley Lake
successful. Shauna left Scouting when her daughter, Shilo, graduated
from high school. Before graduating, Shilo, along with Shannon
Anderson, received the Gold Star Award, the highest award given
in Girl Scouts.

Kim Friede stepped in and filled the shoes of Shauna by hosting
meetings with the Girl Scout Leadership from the Big Sky Girl
Scout Council in Great Falls, receiving mailings, being the Cookie
Sales Manager and helping put together council-wide activities.
Individual Girl Scout Troop activities still flourished.

Brownie Leader Dana Coughlin, a first time leader, said that
her year was a learning experience for her and the girls because
Girl Scouts today is a lot different from when she was a Brownie.
"In the past Girl Scouts was just arts and crafts. Today
it focuses on learning and leadership," Coughlin said. Her
troop worked mostly on cooperation and did six "Try-it"
badges. Try-its are merit badges Brownie Girl Scouts receive after
completing activities designed for that subject. For instance,
the girls completed the computer, cookie, exercise and science
Try-its. "They liked the science Try-it the most," Coughlin
said, "but mostly they just giggled through the year."
Coughlin will be the Second Grade Leader for the coming year.

Second Grade Brownie Leader Kim Friede said her troop's year
was busy. "My troop earned four "Try-its" and took
part in the National Valentine Contest." Three members of
her troop won locally and were sent to the Council Level, where
winners were chosen and sent on to the National level. All cards
were given to hospitals and nursing homes for distribution on
Valentine's Day. Friede said her troop also had a wonderful success
in cookie sales. "Every girl worked hard and earned their
cookie badge," Friede said, "And they can be proud of
that." Cookie Sales is the main source of funding for Girl
Scouts and helps many girls around the world. But more importantly,
Friede said, that this year her troop continued to learn more
about taking turns, sharing and being kind to each other. Friede
will be the helper for third grade in the coming year.

Third Grade Brownie Leader Maggie Doherty said, "Our troop's
highlight for the year was Thinking Day." Thinking Day is
a Girl Scout time to learn about other countries. The Scouts each
took a pretend trip to another country. Doherty acted as their
travel agent. They visited the country on the Internet and made
a travel brochure. They collected photos and gathered souvenirs
from their country. Doherty collected sample airport tickets and
suitcase tags for the girls. They were given imaginary checks
that they could spend and had to budget for. Parents were then
invited to attend their presentations where they had dried squid
from Australia to taste. In other activities, the girls wrote
and videotaped their own commercials and participated in chemistry
experiments.

Doherty feels that Girl Scouts shows girls they can do anything.
The sky is the limit. "I want them to know that there are
no barriers," Doherty said. She feels that girls don't need
someone else to make their fun and helps them to use their imagination
to develop an idea and watch it grow into something special.

This year, fourth, fifth and sixth graders were combined, which
are all a part of Junior Girl Scouts. This was difficult at first
because the girls had to forget about being "above or below"
others and just be friends. "Once they got through that,
it was a great year. Along with the service-wide activities, they
earned their Girl Scouting in the U.S.A., Girl Scouting Around
the World, Wildlife and Theater badges. This qualified most of
the girls to receive their Sign of the Rainbow Badge, a special
award given after the girls have earned a badge from each of the
different "Worlds" in Junior Girl Scouts. These worlds
include the World of Well-Being, Today and Tomorrow, the Out-of-Doors,
People, and Arts.

The official Girl Scout year begins in October. Some of the
troops will start at that time and others will start later due
to the activities that the various age groups may be involved
with, for instance, girls' basketball and soccer. Individual leaders
will contact their grade at school as to when their troop will
start regular meetings. Troop leaders are needed for First Grade
Brownies and Fourth Grade Junior Girl Scouts.